Definitions for describe
dɪˈskraɪbde·scribe

Princeton's WordNet(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. describe, depict, draw(verb)

   give a description of

   "He drew an elaborate plan of attack"

2. report, describe, account(verb)

   to give an account or representation of in words

   "Discreet Italian police described it in a manner typically continental"

3. trace, draw, line, describe, delineate(verb)

   make a mark or lines on a surface

   "draw a line"; "trace the outline of a figure in the sand"

4. identify, discover, key, key out, distinguish, describe, name(verb)

   identify as in botany or biology, for example

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. describe(Verb)

   To represent in words.

   The feeling is difficult to describe, but not unpleasant.

2. describe(Verb)

   To give rise to a geometrical structure.

3. describe(Verb)

   To scientifically reveal a new species by technically explaining its characteristics and particularly how it differs from other species.

   The fungus was first described by a botanist.

Origin: From descriven, from descrivre, from describo, from de + scribo; see scribe and shrive.

Webster Dictionary(1.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Describe(verb)

   to represent by drawing; to draw a plan of; to delineate; to trace or mark out; as, to describe a circle by the compasses; a torch waved about the head in such a way as to describe a circle

2. Describe(verb)

   to represent by words written or spoken; to give an account of; to make known to others by words or signs; as, the geographer describes countries and cities

3. Describe(verb)

   to distribute into parts, groups, or classes; to mark off; to class

4. Describe(verb)

   to use the faculty of describing; to give a description; as, Milton describes with uncommon force and beauty

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(4.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Describe

   dē-skrīb′, v.t. to trace out or delineate: to give an account of.—adj. Describ′able.—n. Describ′er. [L. describĕre—de, down, and scribĕre, scriptum, to write.]

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'describe' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2425

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'describe' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2430

3. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'describe' in Verbs Frequency: #93

How to pronounce describe?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say describe in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of describe in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of describe in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of describe in a Sentence

1. Board Chairman Jonathan Welch:

   Tragic, horrific, none describe it.

2. Aaron Cook:

   I don't really know how to describe it.

3. Stendhal:

   To describe happiness is to diminish it.

4. Barbora Strycova:

   There is no word to describe the feeling.

5. Ken Griffin:

   It's hard to describe that kind of betrayal.

Images & Illustrations of describe

Popularity rank by frequency of use